Another Odd One
by brii.vanity
Summary: Set 6 months after the events of August 15 in Pico Mundo, Odd meets a strange woman that looks, sounds and feels every bit as real and alive as anyone else, but there's something strange about her. Together, the two of them must figure out her secret before its too late. Warning: This does contain spoilers, so if you haven't read the original, this probably won't make sense.
1. Chapter 1

ONE

Little Ozzie still insists that I keep writing. He claims it's therapeutic. It's probably more therapeutic than his 150-pound ass on my chest, so I've decided to keep writing. Besides, it's the only thing I have left, and it helps me hold onto the last few thin strands of my sanity. So, here I am again. Once again, I was reminded to keep the tone light, though in contrast to my last story, this one ends on a brighter note. I also don't feel like getting peed on, which Terrible Chester still insists on doing.

When Stormy Llewellyn died, people would always say one of two things either to me or about me. The first was 'she was your first love, and you were hers, that'll never change.' This I knew to be true. The other was 'it'll be alright if you never love anyone again.' This I also believed to be true. Up until that one day, I would have flat out denied any claim otherwise, knowing Stormy to be it as far as my love life was concerned. But then, on February 15th, exactly 6 months to the day after my love was lost and Pico Mundo changed forever, something happened that would prevent me from safely making that claim.

I had woken up at the same time I had every other day. I pulled on jeans and a plain black t-shirt, and briefly straightened my hair before pulling on my shoes. Before heading out the door, I stopped and stared into the mirror next to it. Stormy had put it there to give herself one last glance before heading out into the world, making sure she was presentable. There were times when I would stare so long and hard that I thought I could see her reflection next to mine, peering at me with a small smile. But when I turned my head, she wasn't there. She never would be. Stormy had accepted her fate, and moved on to her boot camp promotion. She had done that 6 months ago. I still have trouble coming to terms with the fact that I may never see her again, even in the next life.

With a weary sigh, I exited the relative coolness of the apartment and was greeted by the warm golden glow of the rising sun, peeking over the tops of the buildings. I took the same route to the Grille that I did every day. I still thought about relocating to Tire World, but without Stormy, I had lost my ambition to get into selling shoes. With things as disrupted as they were, I felt changing careers at this point would have been too much. I know my place at the grill, I'm good at what I do, I enjoy doing it. So for now, this is where I'll stay.

As I followed my route to the Grille, I thought about the warmth of the sun. I thought about how right now, in the winter, it was pleasant. I thought about how much I liked the sun, I liked that it was always sunny, and I liked sunny things in general. I thought about how Pico Mundo was a bit like the sun, usually bright, but occasionally eclipsed by darkness. I thought about how I was lucky, because even though it was the middle of winter, it was 65 degrees and warm, and I had to make no changes in my routine. I thought about how I was lucky because the folks on the east coast had to wake up an hour earlier to bundle on their layers and pull on their boots, how they had to start the car and let it warm up while they got ready to leave, scrape the ice off their windshields and unbury their cars from the snow, how they had to drive extra slow because the roads were slippery and dangerous and the snow made it hard to see, and they had to do all these extra things in order to be able to get to work on time.

With all these thoughts preoccupying my mind, I was a bit surprised to see that I was already at the Grille. The idea that I had been so distracted by my own mind that I had lost track of where I was was a bit terrifying, and I resolved to think a little bit less on my way to work. I hadn't seen more than a small handful of bodachs in Pico Mundo since the incident, and the ones I had seen were likely just feeding off the residual effects of the tragic event.

I stepped inside and clocked in, greeting Viola with a wave and a smile. "How are the girls today?" I asked casually.

"Pretty as peaches, like always." Viola was immensely grateful that she still had her daughters, and that her daughters still had a mother.

I pulled on my cap and apron, then turned on the griddle. It was early yet, and it would be quiet for the first hour or so. I spent the morning doing what I always did; flipping pancakes and waffles, being creative with eggs, spinning sausage links on my spatula, all while simultaneously processing the diner lingo orders and putting on a show for the customers that had chosen to watch.


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

The day had been as ordinary as all of the previous ones, with nothing new, nothing spectacular happening. I noticed all of the patrons that entered the doors, but very few of them managed to catch my eye. One of the most prominent in my memory was the Fungus Man, Bob Robertson, the man who brought hell to our small town, that had helped end 19 lives, including that of my beloved Stormy. At about 10 o'clock, another patron entered the Pico Mundo Grille that caught my immediate attention.

She appeared to be about my age. She had long, straight hair, a coppery strawberry color that hung past her shoulders. It was evenly parted in the middle, and hung very still against the sides of her face. Her skin was fair, though a bit olive in tone and lacking freckles, leading me to believe that maybe her hair color wasn't completely natural. Her eyes were a soft, metallicy grey color, which I found to be rather striking. She wore a pastel yellow tank top with that Care Bear with the sun on its tummy, and white cut-off shorts with white flip-flops. The outfit she wore would be ingrained in my head forever, though at the time, that was unknown to me.

I smiled as she approached the counter. There was something about her that seemed off somehow, but I wasn't sure what. She seemed, I don't know, sad, maybe? Confused? The Grille had a fair number of people in it, all of them preoccupied with their own conversations, and not paying much attention to anything else. Terri was in the back, adding up the previous day's receipts. Viola was pouring coffee and making idle conversation with an older couple on the other side of the restaurant.

"Welcome to the Pico Mundo Grille. Have a seat anywhere. Viola will be right with you." I smiled at the girl, and she faintly smiled back. Nobody but her had noticed that I had said anything. She approached the counter slowly, glancing around, her look of bewilderment growing. She slid her hand over the side of her neck and around the back as she moved to the counter in front of the grille.

"I was wondering if you could help me," she said quietly. Her voice was soft and low, and there was something strange about it that I just couldn't figure out. "Can you tell me, uhm…where I am? What town this?"

I raised an eyebrow but answered anyway. "This is Pico Mundo, miss. Were you looking for someone or something in particular?" Before the girl had a chance to answer, I heard Terri's voice behind me.

"Odd? Who are you talking to?" I spun around to meet her gaze. She was staring at me, receipts in hand, eyebrow raised. I felt my stomach hit the floor, and I slowly turned back to the girl. She was still standing there, but was silent. I looked back at Terri, stammering a bit.

"You don't…?"

Terri only shook her head and went back to her receipts. Terri knew my secret, and I was suddenly filled with a sense of dread. There were no bodachs to be seen, but something was wrong. I had never been able to actually hear the dead talk. They don't talk. They never have. So why was this girl's voice as clear as a bell? She sounded as real and alive as Terri, and yet apparently, I was the only one that could see her.

In all my years of living with this gift, I had never spoken to someone that was dead. They simply aren't able. So why this girl was I had no idea. I quickly put my spatulas down and motioned for the girl to follow me into the back, away from where anyone could see or hear me. She followed me out the back door and we stood alone.

"Who are you? Where are you from? Why are you in Pico Mundo?" I realized after I had spoken that my tone was decidedly harsh, and a wave of guilt washed over me. I hadn't meant to snap at her, but I was honestly terrified. I had no idea if the dead were talking now, if I had somehow developed a new gift, or if she was some sort of demon or other monster.

The girl was suddenly emotional, a sense of dread and panic rising within her, manifesting itself in visible twitches and glistening tears. Again, she spoke, and I could swear that I could actually _hear_ her. I could see her lips moving as she spoke.

"I don't know. I don't know who I am or where I am or why. I don't remember anything. All I know was suddenly waking up here in this town and I don't know why!" her voice rose in pitch as she became more distraught and began to cry harder. "I don't know my name. I don't know where I'm from. I can't remember!"

I took a step forward and reached my hand out to her, placing it on her upper arm. Her skin was warm and soft, incredibly real. I could have sworn I was standing before a living, breathing girl. But still, there was that one little thing about her that was just strange somehow, and I figured, no matter how real she seemed, she wasn't somehow.

"Hey, shhh. Listen." I softened my voice, doing my best to soothe this distraught entity. It seemed wrong to call her that, but I couldn't think of another word at the time. I glanced around once more. Still no bodachs. "I want to help you. And I will. But you need to calm down, alright?"

She nodded softly and I reached up to wipe some of the water from her cheek. As I touched her skin, I could feel the wetness against my finger, but upon pulling my hand away, my finger was completely dry. After a few minutes, she seemed to be calmed enough to be able to speak rationally again.

"Why did that woman ask who you were talking to? Didn't she see me standing there?" Her voice was quiet and inquisitive. I didn't know how to respond, so I decided that the simplest form of the truth with few details would suffice.

"Well, I sometimes see…things…that other people can't. It's a gift. Terri, my boss, knows about my gift. But she couldn't see you. But since she knows, she didn't ask any questions. That's why I brought you back here, where we could talk in private. I…" I hesitated and took a deep breath. "I'm not sure why, but…I don't believe anyone can see or hear you but me." I expected another show of hysterics, but she was quiet for quite a long time. When she did speak again, her voice was soft and calm.

"I don't understand. I still don't know who I am or where, or why, but… something, somewhere…either deep inside or very far away, is telling me to trust you." The breeze had picked up and blown her hair in front of her face. She pushed it behind her ear and stood up a bit taller, more resolute. "If you can help me…I'd be grateful. What's your name."

"My name is Odd. Odd Thomas."

"Is that a nickname? Because of your…gift or something?"

"No, that's my actual name. Says so right on my birth certificate. Odd." I decided to spare her the story for now. There would be time later, if she was interested. Right now, I needed to focus on helping her figure out who she was.

"Oh. Well, okay. I guess it's a good name. It's unique. It's better than having no name at all. Like me." There was a slight hint of sadness in her voice at the last few words. I frowned a bit. She couldn't be nameless.

"You must have a name. You just can't remember it right now, that's all. So in the meantime, why don't we make one up for you?"

"I don't know. I suppose. There's a lot of names out there. Don't make it boring, okay, Odd?"

I couldn't help but smile a bit at the sound her saying my name. There was something decidedly bright about her voice, her smile, her skin, her hair… I looked at the image on her shirt and thought about all of her brightness, then smiled. "How about…Sunny?"

"Sunny?"

"Yeah. It's a name, but it could also be a nickname. It's not very common, but it's nice sounding. And you're…sunny." I smiled a bit, but when she smiled, I smiled more. Despite her sad situation, she was incredibly bright, and something about her made me feel warm inside. I couldn't describe it, but my previous feelings about her being dangerous had quelled, and I no longer saw her as a threat. I didn't know what she was yet, but my sixth sense told me she wasn't anything dangerous.

I brought her back inside and sat her at a table that was generally reserved for what Terri told customers were "this reason and that." The real reason it was reserved was because the town ghosts liked to come in from time to time, most notably Elvis, and enjoy the atmosphere. I told her that I still had a few hours left of work, but she was welcome to wait, which she did, spending the time looking between what I was doing and what the customers were doing. She seemed particularly fascinated by the lunch rush.

When I had a free moment, I pulled Terri aside and spoke to her quietly. "You're sure you didn't see her? Because she's different, Terri. She's not one of us, but she's not one of them. I can _hear _her. I can hear her voice as plain as day. You know the dead don't talk."

"Sorry, Odd, honey. I just did not see anyone. She's at the table now, right?" I nodded softly. "Well, I see nothing, as always. Just an empty table."

"She has amnesia. She came in and ask what town we were in . You heard me answer her. She told me she doesn't remember her name or where she's from, and that she doesn't know why she's here, but something 'deep inside or far away' is telling her to trust me."

"So now you have a nameless ghost following you around?" Terri was quite understanding and inquisitive. Apparently, this particular one interested her more than the others. Maybe because it was someone she didn't know.

"I decided to call her Sunny. She liked it. It fits her."

"What does she look like?"

I described to Terri all about Sunny, what she looked like, what she sounded like, what she wore. I left out the part about the feeling I got inside from being close to her. Terri simply nodded and returned to work, and so did I.

I spent the rest of my shift trying not to be too distracted. I thought about Sunny, trying to remember if I had ever seen her before, if anything about her was even remotely familiar. I couldn't come up with anything in my personal memory, all I had was my gut feeling which was telling me that she didn't end up in Pico Mundo by accident. What bothered me more was the warm feeling I got. It was soft and pleasant, and when I first felt it, it made me smile. I was unhappy about it because somehow, though I didn't know this girl at all, I felt as though some small part of me was betraying Stormy by finding even the slightest bit of delectation from another girl.


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

At the end of my shift, I clocked out, hung up my apron and cap, said goodbye to Terri, Viola and the evening staff, then motioned quietly for Sunny to follow. She rose from the table with a small smile and quickly followed me out. She seemed so real. I checked behind me several times to see if anyone else had seen her, but no one had. Once out of earshot, I turned to her as she moved to walk by my side.

"I don't know what you want to do, but there are a few places we can go." I didn't want to go to the mall. The memories were still too fresh and painful, and there were several victims still lingering, haunting the place, trying to get my attention. But most of all, I couldn't face Burke and Bailey's. I couldn't look at it, with its pink neon sign and its pink and white stripped awning, knowing that it was the place where my lost love spent the last 4 years of her life working, managing and finally dying. I also couldn't face the bowling alley after my prophetic dream, though nothing had happened there, and the employees had died in their brand new uniforms at the mall.

"Tell me, then, Odd. Where should we go? I don't know this town." Her voice was soft and pleasant, and I liked the fact that I could hear it. Unlike the dead, I didn't have to talk for her. She could do it for herself.

"Well, there's an arcade. I don't usually go there because I don't like them, but…its someplace to hang out for a little while." I looked over at her and she nodded in agreement, following me to the arcade that was within walking distance.

When we entered, I was surprised to see that they had gotten a few new games in since the last time I was there, but I guessed that it wasn't that unusual, considering I hadn't been there in a couple of years. I caught sight of something that made my head spin and my stomach reel. In the corner, at the end of a long line of Ski-Ball games, was a very familiar old face. The Gypsy Mummy, like the one at the carnival I went to with Stormy as child, stood silently, waiting to give out fortunes. I decided I no longer believed what she had to say, as she promised that Stormy and I would be together forever. But maybe I was being unfair. After all, maybe Stormy and I would have been together if Hell hadn't descended upon Pico Mundo. I looked over at Sunny and shrugged a bit. "Want to give it a try?"

"Sure, why not. Maybe it'll tell me who I am." Sunny laughed softly and followed me over to the machine. I deposited a few quarters into it and watched the lights and music flash as the Mummy dummy moved in a stiff, animatronic fashion. After its display had finished, the card popped out and I picked it up. Sunny must have seen the look on my face because the smile quickly faded from hers.

"Odd? What's wrong? What does it say?" There was genuine concern in her voice as she watched me. I could tell at this point that I had blanched. I must have read the card a dozen times. I couldn't believe what it said. I tend not to believe in coincidences. I know better. I finally tore my eyes from the small card and held it out to her. On it, the words were written in a large type, very easy to read, impossible to mistake for other words.

_AFTER THE STORM, THE SUN WILL SMILE._

Sunny smiled softly. "Oh, that's a nice fortune. It's happy and optimistic. Why does this bother you?" She looked back up at me, slight concern still crossed on her features.

"My grandma, Granny Sugars, used to say the same thing. She passed away a few years ago. I'm just surprised to see the quote again." I didn't tell Sunny the real reason I went pale. While it was true that Granny Sugars would say that, I never gave it much thought. But now it took on a whole new meaning. I didn't know whether or not I would mention Stormy to Sunny. She had enough of her own problems without having to deal with mine, as well. As strange as the card was, I decided to keep it. I shoved it into my pocket and looked around. Everyone was so into what they were doing, they wouldn't notice me occasionally talking to "myself."

We stayed at the arcade for about an hour, mostly silent, but amused at the amusement of others. It was late afternoon when we left. I was beginning to run out of ideas already, considering how most of the places made me feel. Eventually I decided to take her back to the Grille long enough to ask Terri if I could borrow her car. Terri handed me the keys and Sunny and I walked to the car together. I was curious to see if she could or would manipulate objects, or if she had the ability to pass through them. There was no one around when I opened my door, and she quickly followed suit, sitting down in the passenger's seat.

"I know that other people can't see me. I'll be careful not to do anything that would look suspicious when they're looking." Sunny smiled at me, and I nodded.

"Probably a good idea. People tend to be freaked out when they see doors opening by themselves." I drove us to Tire World. There were other people in the lot, so Sunny climbed out of the driver's side door after I had gotten out.

"Who is that man in the window, waving with his…arm…?" Sunny's voice trailed off as she stared at the strange sight. I was used to it, and simply smiled at the man. This also meant that Sunny had some sort of link to the world of the dead, even if she wasn't part of it. She could obviously see the others, which had to account for something.

"That's Tom Jedd. He died in a car accident a little over a year ago. He's been at Tire World ever since." I kept my voice down as we walked closer, though there was nobody else in view at the moment.

"So…he's a ghost… Is that your gift, Odd? Seeing ghosts?"

I nodded. "That's part of it."

"Does that mean…I'm a ghost?" Once again, her face fell and she began to cry. "I'm dead and don't know it? Is that what always happens? You die and get trapped here?"

I brought her back to the car and helped her inside so I could talk to her without looking like a total nut. That was the last thing I needed. I rested my hand gently on her leg. Still warm and soft.

"Listen, Sunny. I don't normally go around telling people about my gift. I like to keep it hidden. The more people that know, the more likely that I'll get made into a media sensation. I would surely go crazy then. But I'm going to tell you now, because I think it's important." I took a deep breath, quickly reviewing what I was going to say, what I was going to include, and what I was going to leave out.

"My gift…I can see and communicate with the dead. They aren't always ready to pass on to the other side after they die. Some stay for years, some stay forever. Others choose to leave almost immediately. But they all have one thing in common. They can't talk. Not a single one of them can make even the slightest sound. But you, Sunny. You can speak. You're talking to me and I can hear you. I can hear the sound of your voice, every word coming out of your mouth. "

She had started to calm down, but she needed further consolation. "Secondly, the dead are aware of who they are. They know what happened to them, they know how they died. Since you don't remember, I can only conclude that…whatever you are…you're not dead."

She sniffled a bit and nodded. "Well, what am I then?"

"I don't know. But you're not dead and you're not a bodach."

"What's a bodach?"

"They're these large, shapeless black creatures that seem to thrive on death. They follow the recently dead, those about to die, or those about to bring death. No one can see or hear them. Well, except me and a few others with the gift."

"I think I saw one. I can't remember where or when, but… I feel like your description is ringing a bell. I wish I could remember more things."

"I wish you could, too. Don't worry. We'll figure this out and get you sorted."

"Thanks for your help, Odd." She looked away, her voice still soft and now very sad, as though all of the sadness in the world had been dropped on her shoulders.

I didn't understand any of what was going on, I just knew that I had to help her. If I helped her, if I did good works, then I would pass boot camp, and be sent into service. If I performed my service admirably, I'd get to be with Stormy again in the 3rd stage of rewards. But aside from that, I really just wanted to genuinely help her. She seemed so nice and so lost. I couldn't begin to imagine how scared she must have felt, having nothing to cling to. I have little to cling to because I choose to live simply, I choose to live without a car or insurance or a bank account. But to be left without the slightest trace of who you are? I don't even want to imagine that.

After several minutes of silence, we got back out of the car and went inside. Sunny stayed close to me as we talked through the rows of tires. I was still fascinated by the smell of fresh rubber. Sunny wanted to talk, so I let her. I mostly listened, allowing her to say what she felt. I also didn't want to call attention to myself by talking to myself. She told me that she liked how neat and clean the store was, and that she wished she could remember what her actual favorite store was. Tire World was her current favorite, but only because she hadn't seen anything else. After a little while, and after I said hello to some of the other employees, we returned to the car. The parking lot was quiet, and nobody was looking, so Sunny opened her own door.

We spent a little while just cruising the streets, making idle conversation. We spoke mostly about me, about my gifts. I told her more and more, more than I had told anyone other than Stormy, because I had nothing else to say and neither did she. While Sunny was convinced that she didn't fully understand, I think she knew more than she was letting on. She nodded with a silent understanding that actually spoke volumes.

I told her about my psychic magnetism. She asked if I could sense anything that would help us to figure out who she was. I told her it didn't really work like that, but if I felt something, I'd let her know. After a while, I began to feel hungry, so I brought her to get tacos.

"Can you eat? I mean…do you feel hungry?"

She shook her head. "No, not really. I don't feel like I want food or drink. I'm not hungry or thirsty. And since I don't know what I am, I don't want to risk it. You go ahead, though."

I ordered salmon tacos. I had lost my taste for the swordfish ones after it had been the last meal I enjoyed with Stormy. I still ordered the corn fritters, but they didn't taste as good. The churros, however, were still delicious. We continued to converse in the car as we sat in the parking lot. I ate slowly, my mind trying to think of anything at all that could be of use.

At length, I finally said, "I've read about amnesia patients before. The show them a ton of old pictures and stuff, and see if it jogs their memory at all."

"I suppose we could try it. I mean, nothing to lose, right?"

I nodded as I finished up my last churro. "It's getting late. I need to be up early for work. We can go back to my place, I guess." I drove the car back to Terri's house, and she gave me a lift back to the apartment, continually checking in her rear view mirror.

"Looking for something, Terri?"

"Is she in here?"

I nodded. "She's in the back seat. Just sitting, minding her own business."

"Is she saying anything?"

"Not a peep."

I thanked Terri as I got out of the car, then opened the rear passenger seat door for Sunny. Terri raised an eyebrow. I waved and watched her drive off, then led Sunny inside. It felt awkward and wrong to bring another girl back to Stormy's apartment, but I couldn't just leave her outside on the street.

"There's a lot of…girly stuff in here, Odd." She said quietly as she looked around. While Stormy didn't like possessions any more than I did, she did amass a few things. It was still her place and I couldn't bring myself to get rid of anything.

"Well…this is actually my fiancee's apartment."

"Oh? I didn't know you had one. Where is she? Will she be home soon?"

I didn't want to talk about it. Anything but this. Anything at all. But I had no choice. Sunny needed to know. "No, Sunny. She's…she's dead."

"Oh. Will I see her?"

"No, she moved on already. She believed that this life was like boot camp for the next life. She believed the next life was 'service.' After the service life, then we get rewards in our final life. She believed in delayed gratification." I spent longer talking about Stormy than I had intended, but Sunny sat right with me on the couch, smiling and nodding.

"She sounds lovely. You must love her so much. Do you mind if I ask how she…?"

I took a deep breath. "She was murdered." I could see Sunny's eyes go wide with horror. Without hesitating, I told her the entire story of August 15th. Of how Bob Robertson entered the Grille on the 14th, followed by bodachs, how I tailed him and found a portal to hell in his home, followed by his collection of serial killers. I told her of the 3 crooked cops and their ties to the satanic arts. I told her how they conspired to kill Robertson's mother, how they went to the mall and went on a shooting spree, injuring 40 something people and killing 19, including my Stormy. I told her how I overcame my fear of guns and used one to bring one of them down, how I managed to disarm a bomb and save nearly everyone, how I got shot twice, and finally of the last 5 days Stormy and I were together before she moved on.

Sunny listened intently to the entire story. "What a terrible thing to happen, and in such a small, peaceful town. That's horrible, Odd. And I'm sorry to hear about Stormy." She smiled a bit and looked into my eyes. I could feel the intensity of her ashen eyes burning gingerly into mine. "But if she was ready to move on, then I think that she would probably want you to move on, too."

I nodded and was silent for a moment. "You're probably right. I'm sure she wouldn't want me to dwell on the past. In fact, I think she'd be quite upset with me for it." I was finally able to flash her a smile before realizing just how tired I was. "I think I need to sleep. Do you…need to sleep?"

Sunny shook her head. "No, I don't feel tired or sore or anything. I'll just wait here for you until you wake up." She smiled as I stood.

"Alright. Goodnight, Sunny."

"Sleep tight, Odd one."

I blinked briefly at the term she used, unused to being called that by anyone but Stormy. But she was right. Stormy wouldn't want me to dwell. I stripped off my clothes and fell into bed. I don't remember if I dreamt, but if I did, it was nothing significant enough to warrant remembering the next morning.


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

I closed the bedroom door behind me and let out a soft sigh. I had no idea what to do with the girl that was currently sitting on the couch. It still felt wrong to have another female in Stormy's apartment, but what choice did I have? Sunny was alone, lost and invisible to everyone but me. As I emptied my pockets, I once again found the card from the Gypsy Mummy. I sat on the edge of the bed as I stared at it. _After the rain, the sun will smile._ After several minutes of blankly staring, I tossed the card aside on the nightstand, then stood to shed my clothes.

I stared at the ceiling for what seemed like hours. I couldn't make sense of anything. I shook my head and whispered, "Stormy…what should I do?" I often spoke to Stormy. I didn't know if she could hear me, and I knew she couldn't respond, but I liked to tell myself that she was listening.

Sleep wouldn't didn't come easily, and I was quite sure that I hadn't slept at all until I heard the alarm clock starting to scream at me, telling me to get my ass out of bed for the day. I groaned and stared at the ceiling again for a while before finally dragging myself into the shower. I stood in there for a while too, letting the water pour over me until it was ice cold. Even in the desert heat, unless I had become particularly sweaty or dirty, I still preferred hot showers.

After finally dressing and preparing for the day, I took a deep breath and entered the living room, unsure if I even wanted to see Sunny. Of course I wanted to help her, but my life had been disrupted enough without me having to deal with this, too. I knew that was unfair of me. This girl had come to me for help. There had to have been a reason beyond just coincidence. And maybe, if I do well in this life, and help as many people as possible, I can be reunited with Stormy, which is what I want more than anything.

Sunny was sitting on the couch when I entered the room. It appeared that she hadn't moved at all, but I suppose at one point, she probably had. She turned to face me with a small smile, seemingly happy that I could see her. "Good morning, Odd." Her voice was so soft and musical that it made my hair stand up on end, and I'm not sure why. It was an incredibly pleasant sound.

"How was your night? Did you…?" I wanted to ask if she slept, but she had told me she didn't feel the need to sleep.

"Sleep? I'm not sure. I was awake for a long time, looking around at everything in here. I didn't want to make noise so I didn't do much. Then I say back down. I didn't realize anything had happened until I heard you get up and shower. I didn't dream or anything." She stood, straightening her clothes. Despite having possibly slept in them, her hair and clothes were still perfect, as though she had just gotten ready to go out somewhere. I know that the dead can change their appearance at will, but since this girl wasn't dead, I didn't think, I wasn't sure if she had that ability or not, and likely, neither did she.

"Well, I have to work today. You're welcome to come sit at the Grille again, in the same seat. If you get bored, you can go somewhere else."

"Alright. I'll come with you, at least for a little while. At least I know you can see me."

As I did each morning I left, I stopped and stared into the mirror in the hallway, waiting for Stormy to appear, and as always, she did not. I was startled and nearly jumped when a face did appear next to me. It was Sunny. She said nothing, just smiled, looking more like the lingering dead I'm used to seeing. I turned to look at her and she looked up at me with a small smile.

"I'd say you're as ready as you'll ever be." The sound of her voice still took me by surprise each time I heard it. There was something that was almost…familiar about it, though I couldn't honestly say I ever remember hearing it before. I feel like I would remember that. I gave her a nod and smiled back, then opened the door for her, following her outside.

Sunny and I walked side by side to the Grille. We kept our voices low and I tried my best to not gesticulate or call attention to myself. Everyone was paying even more attention to me now, and I didn't want them thinking I had really lost my mind and was now talking to myself.

I unlocked the door to the Grille and we went inside, immediately refreshed by the cool air. Since no one else was around yet, I was able to speak freely as I set up for the day.

"I've never seen anyone actually put their spatulas in a holster before. I don't think…" She smiled a bit, but I could sense her sadness at still being able to remember nothing.

"Ah, well, its just part of the show. The customers like to watch me perform my short-order magic, so it adds to the effect. I tend to wield them like the cowboys in spaghetti westerns." I spun one around my finger and quickly holstered it with a small grin. Sunny squealed softly in delight, clapping a bit.

"That's very impressive, Odd. I think I can safely say that I've never met anyone like you. Even though I can't remember anything, I'm quite sure you're incredibly unique in this world."

I tipped my hat to her with a small smile and turned on the griddle so that it would be hot and ready for our first customer. I thought about asking her if she wanted a drink at least, but leaving a cup on the table would have been incredibly off-putting to the diner patrons. I hadn't realized I had been staring in her direction until Terri came up quite suddenly behind me.

"Is she sitting there?" The sound of Terri's voice made me jump a bit. Realizing what I was doing, I looked back at my boss and smiled.

"Yeah, she is."

"Is she going to stay all day?"

"I don't know. I told her she could leave if she felt like it."

"She'll probably get bored sitting alone all day."

"That's what I figured. But she said she wanted to watch me. She enjoyed my spatula demonstration."

Terri shook her head with a smile and went to start the day's opening procedure. Viola was on shift that morning, and she entered not too long after. I gave her a nod and asked her about her girls

"As spunky as ever. Catching the school bus at my sister's, just like always." Viola came in far earlier than her daughters got on the bus, so they always went to Viola's sister's house.

I glanced over at Sunny, who was watching my conversations with Terri and Viola with a small smile. She seemed to be interested in our day-to-day events, but then again, if I suddenly had no memory of anything else, I would probably also find mundane activities exciting. I had given Sunny a small smile which had quickly dissipated as I overheard Viola's comment to Terri.

"Can you believe it, Terri? Six whole months have passed since…"

"I still can't believe it happened in the first place."

I looked over to catch a sympathetic look from Sunny. She spoke again, and I smiled, keeping my back turned towards the other ladies. "I'm so sorry about all that pain and tragedy, Odd. I can't even imagine…" I knew she didn't expect a verbal reply. I gave her a simple nod and tried to keep my thoughts away from Stormy, but I simply couldn't.

The morning went as usual. We had the typical breakfast rush, I entertained with crowd with my skills. Sunny watched with interest, carefully hovering close, but being cautious not to bump into anyone, just in case. After a few hours, she was staring boredly at the table when she was joined by one of my favorite ghosts, the king himself.

Elvis sat across from her, and I watched her face light up as she began talking quite fervently. He was unable to answer with words, but she seemed to be able to understand everything he was saying, answering for him. My mind flashed back to my last few days with Stormy when I had done that with her, speaking for her, giving her the words she was unable to speak herself. I wondered if Sunny had realized she was doing this, but I couldn't ask her. When the buzz had died down momentarily, I moved away from the grill and stepped over to Terri, who was standing in the back, fussing over one of the machines.

"I wish you could see it, Terri. Elvis sat down across from Sunny, and she's been talking with him for hours. I bet she's learning more about him than even you know."

"Impossible. A few hours of conversation could never be enough to compete with my knowledge." Her tone at first was very serious, but I realized as her features softened that she was only joking. "You're right though, Odd. I do wish I could see."

It was then that I heard Viola's voice, louder than normal, summoning me back to my station. "Burn one, take it through the garden and pin a rose on it!" I briefly glanced at the ticket she had pinned up before returning to the griddle. Simple enough order. A burger with lettuce and onion. Sunny had been far too interested in Elvis to pay attention to me anymore.

It was about noon, just a few hours before my shift ended, when the king and Sunny decided to temporarily part company. She had been growing bored sitting in the diner all day, even though she had company. When there was a momentary lull, she stepped over to the counter and smiled at me.

"I'm going to go walk around for a while, see if anything triggers my memory. I'll come back when you're done. 3 o'clock, right?" I gave her a small nod, but said nothing, and watched out of the corner of my eye as she passed through the door. I was so focused on watching her that I failed to notice whether she had actually opened the door or just passed through it.


	5. Chapter 5

I was pleased to see Sunny waiting for me outside the grille at 3. She folded her hands nicely and presented me with a large smile. I returned the smile to her as I walked over. I glanced around to see if anyone was around before speaking, just in case.

"Did you have a nice walk around town?"

"Yes, I tried to familiarize myself with it, learn where things are. I saw a nice looking antiques shop. I'd like to go in. Can we go there?"

"The one that's over on San Marina? I know that one. Mr. and Mrs. Escobedo own it. They've been in this country for 60 years and their English is still broken." I smiled fondly and started walking towards the shop. Sunny walked close to me, humming softly. It was a beautiful day, and she seemed like she was in a better mood than she was earlier.

I opened the door, holding it open just long enough for Sunny to sneak in underneath my arm, smiling to myself as I was greeted by the cool air. I saw Mr. Escobedo and gave him a small way.

Hola, Senor Tomas. What brings you today, mi amigo?" His accent was thick, but he was incredibly friendly. A short, plump, dark-skinned man with white hair in his 70's, Pablo Escobedo and his wife Magdalena had married in their teens and moved to the States shortly after. They spent many years working and saving up, collecting antiques in their home until they had enough to open a roadside stand. They were then able to earn enough money to open the current store about 10 years ago. It was a beautiful shop, though I didn't go in much.

Magdalena came into the grille sometimes, which is how I knew them as well as I did. I also occasionally liked to just look at the old things they sold. It gave me a little sense of what the dead remembered.

"Hello, Mr. Escobedo. How've things been lately?"

Muy bueno! Sales are up! We just got this in today." He placed a large silver pitcher on the counter. I was shiny but you could see the patina.

"It's beautiful."

"You want to buy? Special price just for you! $15!"

No thanks. It's not really my style."

"Alright, $10! And not a penny lower!"

"No, really. Thank you, though."

"Are you sure? Price goes up to $20 tomorrow!"

"I'm really sure." I realized Sunny had disappeared from my side and I was momentarily alarmed until I heard her calling me from the back of the store.

"Odd! Come here! Look at this!" She seemed incredibly excited, so I decided not to keep her waiting. I headed over to where she was standing. On the shelf was a small silver music box. I seemed rather plain, but she begged me to open it and play it, so I did.

The look on her face when it played was one that I had only ever seen once before on anyone. It was the look on Stormy's face the first time I told her I loved her. Sunny stared at the music box, watching the little ballerina on the inside twirling as the long played. A small tag on the inside of the box said the name of the song was 'First Love' by Utada Hikaru. I had never heard of the song or the singer, but it obviously held some meaning for Sunny.

After the music stopped, I played it for her one more time. She had been silent the entire time, but near the end, she began humming along. A smile spread across her face as her eyes filled with tears.

"I know this song. I don't know why. But I know it. I can't really...remember it, but...deep in my heart, I know it. It must go deeper than me just liking it. It must have some sort of special meaning to me."

I could only nod in agreement. It was a very pretty song and I was curious about the original.

"I know this is a lot to ask, but...can I please have this? I'll pay you back, I promise."

There was no price on it, which I assumed could only mean that it was expensive. It had a thin layer of dust on it, which meant that it had probably been there for quite a long time. I was hesitant, but I couldn't ignore the look on her face. This item could really have helped her, so I really couldn't say no. I picked up the music box and brought it up to the counter.

"How much for this? There's no price on it."

Mr. Escobedo looked it over for a moment then scratched his head. He then called his wife out front and had a long discussion in Spanish with her. She turned to me with a smile, her English only slightly less broken.

"This is a very special item. It was blessed, and it is for someone very special, someone for whom it has meaning." She smiled and placed on her hand on it. "Does this have meaning for you?"

"Well...I believe it does, yes. I feel...connected to it."

"We've had this item since we opened this shop, and no one has ever wanted it. Therefore, it must be special to you. It is yours."

"Great, thank you. How much?"

"No charge, Senor Tomas. You enjoy this item, and God bless." The elderly woman shuffled back into the back of the store. I thanked them both and headed outside, holding the door for Sunny.

Once outside, she looked up at me. "Do you think it was fate? That it was really waiting all these years for me?"

"I suppose it could be. I've seen stranger things. I'm curious about the song. Want to go to the library and look it up?" I smiled at her, and she nodded and smiled back. Luckily the library was only a few blocks away, and we wouldn't need the car.

I held the music box tightly as we entered the library. For a town the size of Pico Mundo, it was surprisingly large, but maybe that was because half the books were in Spanish. I didn't have a computer of my own, didn't want one, so whenever I needed one, I came here. Sunny followed me over to the row of PCs and stood at my side as I sat down. I listened to the original song. It was beautiful. A perfect love song. Apparently it was from a video game, though one I never played.

Sunny smiled as she looked I over my shoulder. "I wonder if I liked this song so much because...it reminded me of someone. Maybe...maybe I was in love?"

"Maybe. Which means you have another person out there who cares about you, and is probably looking for you right now."

She smiled and nodded, resting her hand on my shoulder. She seemed to be in a better mood now. I glanced at the time. It was after 5. My stomach growled loudly and Sunny let out a small squeal of amusement.

"I suppose I should get something to eat. I think I've got food at home. I don't want to keep spending money I don't really have." I closed out the webpage and picked up the music box, heading for the door. I held it for Sunny and followed her outside.

As we headed back towards my place, I was surprised to feel her arm snake around mine. She held it fairly loosely. I think she just liked the feeling of being close, and I couldn't lie, I liked it, too. I hated the fact that I felt like I was cheating on Stormy in some way, but the rational part of my mind told me over and over that she was gone for good and that I need to move on, and all of my living friends would agree.

We spent the rest of the walk in relative silence, only the sound of her humming the tune of the music box filling my ears. I couldn't help but smile. It was as if she was humming just for me and no one else. The thought filled me with a kind of delight that made me feel guilty. I barely knew this woman, and yet there was something about her that made me feel... Very guilty for betraying Stormy's memory.

I opened the door for her and set the music box down on the table, where she opened it and played it over and over again while I prepared myself something to eat. It was strange cooking for myself at home. I stopped momentarily when I heard actual words coming from her mouth. She was singing the lyrics along with the music box. She couldn't have had time to memorize them from the few minutes I had the page up, so she must have just been remembering them. Her voice was...simply incredible. I felt like I could listen to it all day and not get sick of it. I would really have to work on this whole guilt thing.


End file.
